The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1887-04-22
Jews AS CITIZENS.
An Experienced Observer Offers Few
Practical Hints.

I Practical Hints.
The Hon. Simon Wolf, ex-afin-
lister to Egypt, lecturcd at the
Temple Shaare Emeth last evening
under the auspices Of the Y. M.
II. Al. on the "Duty of Jews as
Citizens" The tenor OF Mr..
Wolf s remarks were that the Jews
should lay aside their exclusive
ness, ningle with the world more
and take d hand III puplic affairs.
He said that he did not come
among them to expound any new
ideas and to deliver dissertation
on something that did not concern
them, but to simply point out to
them the duty the jew owed to
himself and the community in
which he lived, as d citizen. There
was nothing incompatible with a.
good citizen and Judaism--in fact
a good jew was always good
citizen. The idea seemed to pre-
vail among a certain class Of Jews
that they were a chosen people
and superior to the rest of crcn-
tion. This was d, great inisfor-
tune, as there was nothing in d
jew that distinguished him from
Others. His religion surely did
not SO teach him, as it was the
most unassuming Of all religions.
What was it then that nude him
SO arrogant9 II was his own self
ishness and nothing else. The
average jew, when he had dis
charged the charities and other
little obligations to his own peo-
pie, was disposed to sit down and
think that be had discharged All
his obligations as a citizen. This
was great iallacy. The jew
should take part in all the great
scientific, social and political ques-
tions Of the day for which his in
telligencc a. 4 abilities SO well
fitted him; he should Danish his
exclusiveness and take part ia
that sentiment which made all the
world kin. He should Danish the
idea that he was the bodyguard Of
Deity and take his place in the
field OF brain culture, social and
political problems. There was 10
home like the Jewish home, and
why not popuIarize ii by closer
communion with those around.
Bring in the radius Of your lnnu-
ence those who desire to. but who
do not know you. The Jews were
living vindication Of temperance,
although they need no temperance
laws. Yet how few Jews took
part in the temperance agitation
Of to-day. There was also the
labor question, IN which tile jews
seemed to take no part, just as if
they had no interest in the affairs
OF life. There was a time when
the jews took a great part in the
affairs of the nation lit
was the time Of the revolu-
tion, when it was a jew that
filed the coEiers Of the continental
treasury. There was never Il
more suspicious time than now
for the Jew. when his character,
philosophy, his talent and abilities
were being appreciated by the
Christian, to take part il public
affairs. The jew should become
an important factor in the politi-
cal arena in such a country as the
United States, where he was un-
restricted in every respect -bc
should seek national honors and
political preferences. The old
men in their business place should
not frown down the young men
who had political aspirations, bat
should encourage them. The jew
of America should be represented
in national, State and municipal
affairs. 1t was duty he owed
she state. = St. Louis Republicans